Signal pistol



Feb. 9, 1965 V M. G. COULTER SIGNAL. PISTOL Filed April 5, 1963 v 7 u 5/ 6 3 3 u. 2 5 a. 5 3% 8 4% ME 0 /53 2 a 4 2 rm 2 W 7 7 I Fit-J l F a INVENTOR.

MARSHALL &. COULTER BY EARL F. KOTTS ATTORNEY p 3,168,788 I 1 SIGNALPISTQL Marshall G. Coulter, 118 Park St., Tecu seh, Mich. Filed Apr. 5,"1 9 63,jSer-. No. 270,996 a 4 Claims. (Cl.42-.1)

The present invention'relates to a signalpistol. It is an object of the present invention to provide a signalpistol which is simple in'construction and efiicient m use 5.. Y

H is another object of the presentinvention to-provide a signal pistol which is relatively inexpensive'to manufacture. f i

It is another object of the present invention to provide asignal pistol which includes an improved firing mechanism. i

Inthedrawingsz FIG. 1 is an elevational midsection of a signal pistol embodying the present invention. I x

'FIG. '2 is a'sectional viewof the complete pistol taken along the line 22 in the direction ofthe arro'ws,-FIG. 1

United States Patent Office 3,168,788 Patented Feb. 9, 1965 handle section 9 with an interference fit. An offset firing pm rod'seat 71', which is slightlysmaller in diameterthan the firing'pin rod, is formed'in the clasp 65. The interthe safetyclasp in the'safety or on position.

Referring tothe drawings, a barrel section is indicated 5 by the number 7 The barrel section" is pivotally connected to a handle section 9 by the dowel 11 The-'rbarrelsection 7"includes the combined barrel 'and chamber portion 13 which'is. adapted to accommodate a shell or cartridge type signal flare. The groove 15 is formed to receive the flange'on the flare 'shell1(not sh0w11) f-:. 1 l A guide 'pin passage; 17 is provided in the barrel section 7, and a coil ls'pring 19'ispositioned in the passage. "A guide pin 21 is disposed inLthe, passage 17 adjacentthe I .spring19, and is'movablein said passage. A breech lock pin 23 is.afiixed to lthe free end'o'fguidepin zly'and is slidable a breech :lockpin groove 25 extending between the barrel section 7vand.-the1handle section 9; Ashoulder 27 overliesthe breech lock pin 23 in the locked posiv thejspr1ng43 movesthe firing pin 331m the-left against tion. Anopening "29-'is-' positioned above the groove 25 and permits movement-of thebreech' lock pin 23 upward when it is out fromunder shoulder 27. v {I'hus by mov ing the breech lock pin523 tothe left in the drawings',.lthe l breechfis unlocked and the'barrel section 7 maybe pivoted -around dowel 111relative to the handle section 9. In this manner, loading and -u nloadingaof the pistol can be accomplished. v

A firing pin passage 31extends'through the handle sec tion 9 to house a firing Ihe' inner end of passage 31 is reduced at 35v to 'accommodatethe end 37 of the firing pin. A coil spring 39 ispositioned in the firing pin passage 31 "between the firingpin33 and the inner end of the passage. The outer end of thelfirin'g' .pin 33 extends out of the passage 31Vand is afiixed to a cocking knob/l1. A- spring 43"is seated between the enlarged section 45 of' the firing pin and a washer 47 which is press fitted into the outer end of the firing pin passage 31 in a suitable washer groove. A peripheral substantially V- shaped cocking groove 48 is located in the enlarged section 45 of the firing pin. V

A substantially vertical locking pin passage 49 extends from the top of handle section 9' downwardly to intersect a trigger passage 51. A locking pin 52' is slidably disbottom end is also slightly tapered. The trigger passage is enlarged near its forward end. A trigger button 53 is slidably disposed in the forwardrendof trigger passage 1 cushioning spring 39 and the end 37 of firing pin 3 3'moves posed in said passage 51 and has a tapered top end. The

.The breech lock. pin 23.is moved to the left, and-the breech is opened as the barrel section 7 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction around the dowel 11. A signal cartridge is inserted into the barrel 13, and the breech is closed, the breech lock pin 23 being urged into place undertheshoulder 27 by the spring 19 and guide pin 21. The cocking knob 41 is moved to the right against the spring 431- until the cocking groove :48 is positioned over the tapered upper end of locking .pin'52. Thespring 43 is of such dimension that .the cocking groove 48 is over the locking pin 52 when the spring. 43 is compressed. At this point the locking pin 52 may move upward into the cooking groove. 48,,and the trigger spring 55 moves the triggerforward so that the bottom of the "locking pin 52 is on the first'step 61. This moves the locking pin, 5-2 upward so thatits upper endseatstin the cocking groove 48 on the firing pin 33. The tapered :configuration of the cockinggroovev 48, the upper and lower ends of the looking pin 52, and portion of the trigger between steps 61 and 63 aids in the desiredgmovement of locking pin 52.

through passage35 into engagement'with the firing cap Qf-theflareshell (not sh own): 1

V The pistol is characterizedby its simplel ar d easy-tooperate construction; -,-;i; I

l, Havingthus described pry-invention, I claim:

l., A signal pistol adapted to fire a'signal flare, comp n r I. 1

: a barrel, having afiare chamber thereiny I, ;a,handle'pivotallyconnectedto said barrel;

; a fi fs P a s se' n, d. ha d having sp loaded firing pin therein extending 'rearwardlyand outwardly-therefrom,,said firingpinhaving a co ck {ing knob on its rearward end external of said handle, and also having a cocking groove thereon which provides a cam wall that is movable inside said firing pin passage;

a trigger passage in said handle below said firing pin passage and having a trigger spring therein; a trigger disposed in said trigger passage against said spring, which urges said trigger forwardly out of said a cam surface on the top of said. locking pin engageable with the cocking groove cam wall on the firing p the device being cocked by pulling the cocking knob back until the cocking groove cam wall in the firing pin overlies the top of the locking pin, at which point thetrigger spring moves the bottom of the locking pin and engages the cam surface on the top end'of the locking pin with the cocking groove cam wall; and

e device is fired by moving the trigger t ward the handle, which action moves the second step, beneath a signal flare, com- J the first trigger'step under I a firing pin passage in said handle having a spring loaded firing pin therein extending rearwardly and outwardly therefrom, said firing pin having a cocking knob on its rearward end external of said handle, and also having a substantially V-shaped cocking groovethereonwhich provides a cam wall that is movable inside said firing pin passage; 7

a trigger passage in said handle below said firing pin passage extending substantially parallel to said firing pin passage and having atrigger spring therein;

a trigger disposed in said trigger passage against said r spring, which urges said trigger forwardly out of said trigger passage; 7 a first step on said trigger, alower second step ahead of said first step on said trigger, and a cam portion extending between said-"first and second steps; a locking pin passage in said handle extending between said firing pin passage and said trigger passage; and

ing pin passage, said locking pin having a tapered upper end and a tapered lower end; Y

back until the cocloing 'groove cam wall in the firing pin overlies the ,top of the locking pin,.at which the device is. fired by moving :the trigger in toward afioatin'g locking pin slidably positioned in said lock- 7 point the trigger spring'moves'the first trigger step 'under the bottom of the locking pin and engages the tapered top end ofthe locking pin withthe cocking groove, cam wall; and Y the device is fired by moving the-trigger .in toward the handle, which ation moves the trigger cam portionand then the second step beneath the bottom of the locking pin in place of the first step and en ables the spring loaded firingpin to move thetapered top end of the lockingpin out of the cocking groove.

4. A'signa'l' pistol adapted'to fire a signal fiaregcomprising:

a barrel havinga flare chamberthereinp A a floating locking same'direction as said barrel in the firing position;

a spring loaded firing pin in said firing pin passage and extendingrearwardly and outwardly therefrom, said firing pin having a cocking knob on its rearward endexternal of said handle, and also having a cocking groove thereon which provides a cam wall that is movable inside said firing pin passage;

a trigger passage in said handle below said 'firingpin passage extending substantially parallel to said firing pin passage and having a trigger spring therein;

a trigger disposed in said trigger passage against said spring, which-urges said trigger forwardly out of said trigger passage;

a first step on said trigger, and a lower second step i ahead of'said first step on said trigger;

a locking pin passage in said handle extending fro the top of the handle to the firing pin passage and from the firing pin passage downwardly to'the trigger :i pa g i pinslidably positioned in said lock-.

' ing pin passage between said firing pin passage and 7 said trigger passage; and p a cam surface on the top offsaid locking pin engageable with the cocking groove cam wall on the firing the device being cocked by pulling the cockingknob back untilthe cocking groove cam wall in the firing .pin overlies the top of the locking pin, at which ,-point the trigger spring moves the first trigger step under the bottom of the locking pin and engages the cam surface on the top end of the locking in with 5 the cocking groove cam wall; and

'thehandle, which action moves the second step 1 beneath the bottom of the locking pin in place of l -the first step and'enables the spring loadedfiring l v pin to movethe locking pin out of the cocking groove.

References Cited b y the Examiner'i,

UNITED srATEsLPAT NTS 5/28 Thorstenson 42'1 1,788,443 1/371 Sedgley 42-1 2,482,436 9/49 Ream 42- -54 OREIGN PATENTS 71,526 1/16, Switzerland. 907,815 7/45 France. 1,043,802 6/53 France.

e NJAMIN A: 'BORCHELT, :Primary Examiner. SAMUEL FEINBERG, Examiner. 

1. A SIGNAL PISTOL ADAPTED TO FIRE A SIGNAL FLARE, COMPRISING: A BARREL HAVING A FLARE CHAMBER THEREIN; A HANDLE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BARREL; A FIRING PIN PASSAGE IN SAID HANDLE HAVING A SPRING LOADED FIRING PIN THEREIN EXTENDING REARWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID FIRING PIN HAVING A COCKING KNOB ON ITS REARWARD END EXTERNAL OF SAID HANDLE, AND ALSO HAVING A COCKING GROOVE THEREON WHICH PROVIDES A CAM WALL THAT IS MOVABLE INSIDE SAID FIRING PIN PASSAGE; A TRIGGER PASSAGE IN SAID HANDLE BELOW SAID FIRING PIN PASSAGE AND HAVING A TRIGGER SPRING THEREIN; A TRIGGER DISPOSED IN SAID TRIGGER PASSAGE AGAINST SAID SPRING, WHICH URGES SAID TRIGGER FORWARDLY OUT OF SAID TRIGGER PASSAGE; A FIRST STEP ON SAID TRIGGER, AND A LOWER SECOND STEP AHEAD OF SAID FIRST STEP ON SAID TRIGGER; A LOCKING PIN PASSAGE IN SAID HANDLE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRING PIN PASSAGE AND SAID TRIGGER PASSAGE; A FLOATING LOCKING PIN SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN SAID LOCKING PIN PASSAGE; AND A CAM SURFACE ON THE TOP OF SAID LOCKING PIN ENGAGEABLE WITH THE COCKING GROOVE CAM WALL ON THE FIRING PIN; THE DEVICE BEING COCKED BY PULLING THE COCKING KNOB BACK UNTIL THE COCKING GROOVE CAM WALL IN THE FIRING PIN OVERLIES THE TOP OF THE LOCKING PIN, AT WHICH POINT THE TRIGGER SPRING MOVES THE FIRST TRIGGER STEP UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE LOCKING PIN AND ENGAGES THE CAM SURFACE ON THE TOP END OF THE LOCKING PIN AND ENGAGES THE CAM COCKING GROOVE CAM WALL; AND THE DEVICE IS FIRED BY MOVING THE TRIGGER IN TOWARD THE HANDLE, WHICH ACTION MOVES THE SECOND STEP BENEATH THE BOTTOM OF THE LOCKING PIN IN PLACE OF THE FIRST STEP AND ENABLES THE SPRING LOADED FIRING PIN TO MOVE THE LOCKING PIN OUT OF THE COCKING GROOVE. 